The Complete Guide to Muay Thai Heavy Bags 

What is a Muay Thai Heavy Bag and Why Use it?

Muay Thai is also called “the Art of Eight Limbs” because it uses punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes. Like other martial artists, Muay Thai fighters use a heavy bag to sharpen their skills. But, training for this discipline requires unique bag shapes and designs to effectively drill more than just punches.  

Thai heavy bags are typically use genuine or synthetic leather for their outside shell. They ship empty for ease of transportation and also to minimize shipping costs. They are easy to fill at home with clothing scraps or water (depending on the model). You can use these guide for easy to follow steps on how to fill each type: 

How to fill a Muay Thai Heavy Bag

How to fill the Fairtex Water Heavy Bag

You can fill up both styles so that they are heavy enough to withstand the impact of punches and kicks. They’re an obvious staple in MMA gyms, but also many fighters also use punching bags in their home gyms to help them with cardio training. So, which type of bag is right for you?

Different Types of Muay Thai Bags & Their Uses

Thai fighters use different style of heavy bags to train in different ways. Let’s take a closer look at the available models and their intended uses so you can find one that best suits your needs. 

Classic Heavy Bag (Fairtex HB2) – exactly as it sounds, this punching bag is a classic design. It’s suitable for all types of boxing and martial arts training. A standard size, it uses genuine leather and other high quality durable materials. 

Extra Large Heavy Bag (Fairtex HB3) – this one is also as the name describes, an extra large version of the Fairtex Classic design. This style provides a bigger opponent to push around, requiring more strength and power than the HB2 model. 

Tear Drop Heavy Bag (Fairtex HB4) – Tear drop shape heavy bags are designed specifically for Muay Thai. Suitable for training punch, kicks, and knees, their contour makes them ideal for clinching too! The HB4 model uses genuine leather. 

Muay Thai Banana Bag (Fairtex HB6) – the perfect size for a total body workout, this six foot heavy bag can handle strikes from all 8 limbs. It uses Syntek leather and is a popular training bag in Muay Thai gyms worldwide.

Syntek Heavy Bag (Fairtex HB5) – this generic sized Muay Thai bag is big enough for striking practice. It’s made of Fairtex’s Syntek leather, a strong durable material with a lower price point than genuine leather. 

Pole Bag (Fairtex HB7) – the biggest of them all, this bag can be mounted on a pole or hanging. It’s versatility and size mean no restrictions on the combinations you can train.  

Bowling Bag (Fairtex HB10) – a unique bowling pin shape gives the most lifelike opponent for bag work drills. The bottle neck design simulates a neck which makes this bag perfect for practicing clinch and neck kicks. 

Uppercut Heavy Bag (Fairtex HB11) – as the name suggests, this heavy and compact design is ideal for boxing drills. 

Angle Heavy Bag (Fairtex HB12) – tapered angle design allows for multipurpose training. You can drill punches, high and low kicks, hand and foot jabs, and other combinations on this durable bag.

Super Angle Heavy Bag (Fairtex HB13) – with the same length as the HB12, the angles on this bag are more pronounced. This gives it a striking surface perfect for training combinations of Muay Thai and Boxing moves, including uppercuts. 

Super Tear Drop Heavy Bag (Fairtex HB15) – with a teardrop shape similar to the HB4, this bag is made for Muay Thai. It’s wider at the bottom and considerably heavier than the HB4 to give a more challenging workout. The HB15 uses durable Syntek leather. 

Water Heavy Bag (Fairtex HB16) – water in the HB16 bounces back, making striking it easier on the hands, which is especially beneficial for novices. It also gives a more natural and realistic response than regular heavy bags’ unresponsive stuffing. It’s size makes it ideal exclusively for boxing drills.

Any of these hanging heavy bag can be swing around by pushing it in different directions. This is ideal for responsive and reactive training. 

So, which Muay Thai heavy bag is best for training? 

As always, it comes down to personal preference and training needs. The amount of space you have available for training is an important factory to consider when choosing your punching bag. But, also, consider your training needs and goals. If you’re just starting out, something smaller may be ideal. If you’re looking to train low kicks and practice clinching, you will need a longer bag. Need to perfect your upper cut? A super angle bag, uppercut bag or water heavy bag will do the trick. 

Still not sure which one to chose? Leave us a comment below and we’ll help with suggestions 😀

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Ready to buy a new punching bag? You can find out full selection of Thai heavy bags here.